Stockholm bypass likely to go ahead

The bypass was a prestige project for the centre-right administration in Stockholm city, which lost power in September. Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TT

The Stockholm bypass will likely go ahead, despite government opposition, after a decision by the county council, reports Swedish Radio News.

On Monday the centre-right run council said it would not be renegotiating the deal, despite a desire by some in the centre-left government to stall and perhaps stop the deal.

The concrete reason for a new negotiation was a dispute over how much of the region’s congestion charge revenue would go on the bypass, and how much on collective transport like busses and trains.

”The minister wanted us to renegotiate an existing agreement, but we're not ready to do that,” says county mayor Torbjörn Rosdahl of the Moderate Party.

The Green Party is the junior partner in the coalition government and wants to stop the bypass, which it sees as encouraging more car use. Supporters of the project say cars cannot keep going through Stockholm.